Brooktrails: Early morning fire damages Lilac Lane home

Smoke alarms awakened a Brooktrails family at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday morning from a smoldering fire inside the walls of their home.

When the first Brooktrails Fire Department unit arrived at the home, it was already fully charged with smoke. The fire began inside the walls behind a wood stove that had been lit for several days.

The smoky fire had not yet burst into full flames by the time firefighters arrived. The wooden framing inside the walls was burning and smoldering, forcing firefighters to pull parts of the wall out so they could attack the fire's source.

Damage was estimated by the fire department at about $5,000, plus smoke damage.

The functioning smoke detectors alerted the family in time for the family to avoid injuries and to limit the spread of the fire. "This could have been tragic, had the home not had functioning smoke alarms," said Brooktrails Fire Prevention Officer Jon Noyer. "When we arrived, smoke was charging the house fairly quickly."

Brooktrails Fire Department responded to the scene with six firefighters, including the duty vehicle and one engine. Little Lake Fire Department sent eight firefighters and two engines as part of a mutual aid agreement. Both fire departments respond in force to any residential or commercial building fire in the Brooktrails or Little Lake fire districts.